In Oban, a picturesque tourist town on the west coast of Scotland, James McMillian and Lisa McQuiston were once neighbors, residing on a neat cul-de-sac on the hillside of Oban Bay. Now, they rest side-by-side in Pennyfuir Cemetery, where the newest headstones in the newly excavated area silently speak to the tragedy of a generation lost in this beautiful town. The community mourns the loss of these individuals and hopes to find ways to prevent future tragedies.
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02-23, 2025Oban has a population of only 8,000, but recently, at least eight individuals, confirmed or suspected to have died from drug misuse, have been buried there. Among them, the youngest was 26, and the oldest was 48. The town's population is roughly equivalent to the number of drug-related deaths recorded in Scotland over the past seven years, where Scotland's drug overdose mortality rate is the highest in Europe. This highlights the disproportionate impact of the drug crisis on smaller communities.
These deaths have sparked calls for urgent action to address drug addiction in rural Scotland, with relatives of the deceased pointing out the difficulty they faced in accessing vital services. Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray told BBC News that he acknowledges the need to do more to address drug misuse in rural areas. He pledged to improve access to addiction services in these underserved communities.
For Jayne Dunn, James's mother, the nightmare began before dawn on a cold night in December 2022 when she was awakened by the doorbell. "It was 4:50 in the morning, it was snowing, my Christmas tree was still up, and the police knocked on my door," she said. The police came to inform her that her 29-year-old son had died of a drug overdose, something Jayne had always feared. The news was devastating, confirming her worst anxieties about her son's struggles.
James is yet another victim of the crisis that has swept Scotland for nearly a decade, claiming 1,172 lives in 2023 alone. "As a child, he was blonde and blue-eyed, a little rascal," Jayne told me in her living room at home. She said young James loved "fishing, music, and his skateboard." Jayne added, "But there weren't many good memories as he got older. He was confused, he was angry, and he was lost." The impact of addiction robbed him of a fulfilling life.
James's father left home when he was seven years old. He struggled in school, suffering from dyslexia and mental health issues, and later began experimenting with cannabis. He started getting into trouble, first with teachers and then with the police. As an adult, James gradually drifted away from Oban and his family, losing an apprentice bricklayer job due to absenteeism and lack of concentration, and disappeared to England. Jayne said she knew little about what happened there. In reality, her son's life was falling apart.
He was diagnosed with ADHD, bipolar disorder, and drug-induced psychosis. He battled suicidal tendencies, took more and stronger drugs, and increasingly turned to crime. Consequently, he was imprisoned multiple times for drug offenses, breach of the peace, housebreaking, and theft, once receiving a two-year sentence. James died in Glasgow on December 16, 2022, less than two days after being released from Barlinnie Prison following an eight-month remand.
James's mother said she did not know the details of the final charges he faced or why he was released, but she believes more could have been done to support her son, as he had previously overdosed three times after being released. A source at the Scottish Prison Service pointed out that the decision made at the end of a period of remand is the responsibility of the court, not the prison. Jayne described a network of organizations that dealt with her son: charities, local authorities, the NHS, addiction services, housing providers, and more. But she said, "He was released into a city he didn't know, with no coat, no money, and nobody knew. He was only alive for less than 36 hours." The lack of coordination and support during his release proved fatal.
Lisa McQuiston grew up with James on the streets overlooking Oban Bay, where the red and black Caledonian MacBrayne ferries ply between the Hebridean islands. Oban was recently named Scotland's Town of the Year by an organization promoting smaller communities. Today, Lisa's sister, Tanya, sat in Jayne's living room, tears in her eyes, recalling her sister as someone who was "larger than life" and "had a heart of gold." "Lisa never took drugs, you know, that wasn't her thing," Tanya said. Things only started to go wrong after Lisa was prescribed diazepam, commonly used to treat anxiety, seizures, or muscle spasms. "She ended up buying it off the street because she felt she needed more," Tanya recalled. "She kept saying she needed more help, more support." Then, she said, her sister started using heroin.
Lisa suffered a cardiac arrest on September 13, 2022, and died four days later in a hospital in Paisley. She was 42 years old. Prescription drugs were found in her system, along with etizolam, a benzodiazepine often referred to as street valium because it is frequently sold illegally. Tanya and Jayne took us to the place where they mourn together, pointing out the graves of other recent drug-related deaths nearby. These included James's best friend, who rests beside him and Lisa. He died of a drug overdose at the age of 30. "It's just horrific to think there are at least 10 people here that we can think of," Jayne said.
There is no official data on how many people from small communities like Oban have died from drugs. We have been able to confirm at least eight deaths in just a year and a half that were drug-related or are still under investigation. This is the reality of Scotland's drug death crisis in one small community, and both Tanya and Jayne say the Scottish government must do more to save lives. "I personally think a lot of addiction starts with mental health in the first place," Tanya said. "There's no continuity of support between addiction services or mental health services. There's no connection." A more integrated approach is needed to address the underlying causes of addiction.
Jayne, herself a drug support worker, said she spent years trying to get James back to Oban, where she felt he would have a better chance of recovery and survival. She said a particular challenge was that Argyll and Bute Council offered James housing placements in Dunoon and Helensburgh—both about two hours away—making it difficult for his family to support him. The local authority said it provided James with "appropriate" services. The council added that it provides housing services in the area but cannot always meet "conditions which sometimes change for individuals." The lack of suitable local support hindered his recovery efforts.
Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray said both families have his deepest sympathies, and he acknowledged that drug services in rural areas could be improved. "I think the two cases you highlight tell me there is more that can be done," he said. "I recognize that not all services are available in all parts of Scotland." Gray added: "We support alcohol and drug partnerships across Scotland, whether they are in rural locations or urban locations. I certainly want us to continue to do more to make sure that facilities and services are available in rural and island communities." He committed to addressing the disparities in service provision.
For Justina Murray, CEO of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, a charity, the issue is not about strategy or funding, but about culture and delivery, especially in NHS addiction services. "People want services that are provided in their own communities, that they can access when they need them, that they're met at the door with a friendly face," she said. "That they're treated with respect and dignity. That isn't necessarily the experience that you have when you're dealing with NHS or statutory treatment services." According to the latest available data released in September 2024, there are 25 facilities in Scotland with 513 residential rehabilitation beds. The Scottish government believes there are only 11 beds available in very remote rural areas, although most facilities do accept referrals from any area of Scotland. Improved accessibility and a more humane approach are crucial for effective treatment.
I asked Jayne and Tanya about the argument that individuals and their families, rather than the state, should take more responsibility for their choices. "No one sets out to be an addict," Jayne replied. "No one chooses it. Mental health issues are what led James to try to escape reality. Then he no longer had the capacity to make his own choices. He wasn't James anymore. These are vulnerable adults who can't protect themselves from danger or harm," Tanya added. "Why wasn't more done? Something has to change," Jayne agreed. "We're losing too many young people." The urgent need for systemic change to prevent further loss of life is clear.
